The 1988 Sacramento State Hornets football team represented

California State University, Sacramento California State University, Sacramento (CSUS, Sacramento State, or informally Sac State) is a public university in Sacramento, California. Founded in 1947 as Sacramento State College, it is the eleventh oldest school in the 23-campus California ...

as a member of the

Western Football Conference Western Football Conference may refer to: * Canadian Football League West Division, one of the two regional divisions of the Canadian Football League * Western Football Conference (United States) The Western Football Conference was an NCAA Divisi ...

(WFC) during the

1988 NCAA Division II football season The 1988 NCAA Division II football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division II level, began in August 1988, and concluded with the NCAA Division II Football ...

. Led by 11th-year head coach Bob Mattos, Sacramento State compiled an overall record of 10–3 with a mark of 4–2 in conference play, tying for second place in the WFC. The team outscored its opponents 479 to 272 for the season. The Hornets played home games at Hornet Stadium in

Sacramento, California ) , image_map = Sacramento County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Sacramento Highlighted.svg , mapsize = 250x200px , map_caption = Location within Sacramento C ...

. The Hornets finished the regular season schedule with a record of 8–2. For the first time they qualified for the

NCAA Division II Football Championship The NCAA Division II Football Championship is an American college football tournament played annually to determine a champion at the NCAA Division II level. It was first held in 1973, as a single-elimination tournament with eight teams. The tourna ...

playoffs. The first game was against traditional rival

UC Davis The University of California, Davis (UC Davis, UCD, or Davis) is a public land-grant research university near Davis, California. Named a Public Ivy, it is the northernmost of the ten campuses of the University of California system. The institut ...

, who they defeated 35–14. The Division II quarterfinal game was against , and the Hornets dominated the game, 56–7. The Division II semifinal game was against undefeated

North Central Conference The North Central Conference (NCC), also known as North Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, was a college athletic conference which operated in the north central United States. It participated in the NCAA's Division II. History The NCC ...

champion

North Dakota State North Dakota State University (NDSU, formally North Dakota State University of Agriculture and Applied Sciences) is a public land-grant research university in Fargo, North Dakota. It was founded as North Dakota Agricultural College in 1890 as t ...

. North Dakota State defeated the Hornets, 42–20, on their way to a national title. Eight players Sacramento State received first-team All-WFC honors: wide receiver Mark Young, running back Donald Hair, center Harry Williams, kicker Jim Gill, defensive lineman Ken Stinnett, linebacker Derek Stigerts, defensive back JR Richards, and safety Gary Lunsford.

Schedule

References

{{Sacramento State Hornets football navbox

Sacramento State California State University, Sacramento (CSUS, Sacramento State, or informally Sac State) is a public university in Sacramento, California. Founded in 1947 as Sacramento State College, it is the eleventh oldest school in the 23-campus California ...

Sacramento State Hornets football seasons

Sacramento State Hornets football The Sacramento State Hornets football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the California State University, Sacramento located in Sacramento, California. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivis ...